In our March newsletter, we share about our pastoral ministry among the local people in Kasait. The Jesuit priests in Kasait take turns in ministering the sacraments in Neran, Lanumate and surrounding villages, and in the main parish in Liquiça. With our humble contributions, the local church is growing, and in this environment our other works can take root and grow as well.
Although Instituto São João de Brito (ISJB), the Jesuit teacher training institute, opened last year with 23 students, it operated out of temporary premises in the Jesuit Pre-novitiate, Perumnas, Dili. This year, it has moved to Kasait and taken a second intake of 27 students, but it is still operating out of borrowed rooms of the Jesuit secondary school Colégio Santo Inácio de Loiola.
The Jesuits of the East Timor region and the students and staff of ISJB marked a new milestone on February 4 with the laying of the first stone of ISJB’s very own campus. The ceremony was presided by Fr Lucio Nolberto de Deus, Vicar General of the Bishop of Maliana. Important guests included the Minister of Education, the parish priest of Liquiça Church, a representative of the Philippines embassy and the head of the village of Ulmera.
In our first newsletter of 2017, we look back on the year that was for our education apostolate. We are filled with gratitude for the developments that have taken place, particularly the opening of Instituto São João de Brito, and continuing improvements in the campus and programs of Colégio de Sto Inácio de Loiola and Escola Secundaria Católica Nossa Senhora de Fátima Railaco.
